The X account of Ethereum’s layer 2 network, ZKsync, and its developer, Matter Labs, was compromised on May 13, with hackers spreading misinformation. They falsely claimed that the network was under investigation by US authorities, among other misleading messages.
The hacked ZKsync-related X account posted a warning about the breach, advising users not to interact after sharing links to a fake airdrop, which was part of a phishing scam.
⚠️ Warning: Both @zksync and @the_matter_labs accounts have been compromised.
Do not interact with that account or click any links.
Wait for the @zkSyncDevs account to verify when the account has been reclaimed.
We will quote tweet this tweet when @zksync and @the_matter_labs…
— ZKsync Developers (∎, ∆) (@zkSyncDevs) May 13, 2025
Both the ZKsync and Matter Labs accounts then published a fraudulent statement, alleging that ZKsync was being probed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and that sanctions from the US Treasury Department were imminent.
Lynnette Nolan, the communications head for Matter Labs, confirmed that the deleted X post was fake and that control of the accounts had been fully restored to the team.
Harrison Leggio, co-founder of the crypto startup g8keep, humorously posted on X, saying, “Shoutout to the ZKsync hackers. Instead of dropping a token and stealing a few bucks, they decided to scare the living daylights out of on-chain degens.”
Shoutout to the zksync hackers.
Instead of dropping a token and stealing a few bucks they decided to scare the living shit out of onchain degens. pic.twitter.com/ltbwd37WMp
— Pop Punk (@PopPunkOnChain) May 13, 2025
This incident marks the second security breach for ZKsync in recent months. In April, an attacker exploited the platform’s airdrop distribution contract, minting 111 million unclaimed ZK tokens valued at approximately $5 million. While 90% of these tokens were eventually returned, the recurrence of such breaches underscores the pressing need for enhanced security measures within the crypto ecosystem.
The ZKsync team is actively investigating the breach to prevent future occurrences. Users are advised to exercise caution and verify information through official channels before engaging with token-related announcements or airdrops.
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